The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-10-06
CABLE COMMUNICATION FROM
AMERICA TO THE FAR EAST.

lea with the Far East has been mooted
several times. That adventurous Ital-
ian, Mr.. G.. G. Moreno, was, we believe,
the first to breach scheme OF the KIND,
but the time was not ripe even If he had
been the agent to carry out the enter
prise. Much more recently it has been
proposed to lay cable from Canada to
the Far East, touching at Honolulu, and
another from Canada to Australia. Inc
support of the British Imperial Govern
ment was asked for the project, but so
far it has not been accorded, and the
plan Ianguishes if it has not been re-
linouished. Yet the enterprise is one OF
immense importance to the British En-
pire. 1t would absolutely link the en-
tire Empire together in a telegraphlc
embrace by British cables touching at
British ports. At present the communl-
cation is only perfected by cables touch
ing at foreign ports, which are OF course
at the mercy of foreign Governments.
We in Hongkong can only hold COM
municatlon with Singapore through Sal
gon; there is still no direct cable to the
Straits Settlements, though the import
ance of laying one has frequently been
demonstrated, and very strong repre-
sensations made to the Home Govern
ment from this colony on the subject.
The need for cable from Hongkong to
Vancouver, touchinga at Yokohama and
Honolulu, has also been most fully set
forth, as, if supplemented by direct
cable from here to Singapore, it would,
in time of war, afford another reliable
and direct means of communication be-
tween England and her Asiatic domln-
ions. The value of such communication
in the event of hostilities breaking out IN
Europe cannot be easily estimated, and
most assuredly would well repay the
grant of a moderate and possibly con-
ditional subsidy.
The British Government, however,
are, as usual, too much engrossed with
the affairs of the Green Isle and party
warfare to pay proper attention to mat
tiers of imperial and national Importance,
and this question, like many more, has
apparently been shelved. Fortunately,
or unfortunately, according to the atti-
tude assumed by the Imperial Govern
ment, the subject is again being brought
to the front, this time in the United
States. The recent revolution in the
Hawaiian Kingdom has, consequent on
the magnitude of American interests
there, forced on the attention OF the
Washington authorities the need for q
cable communication with Honolulu,
and it is stated that this will form one
of the subjects of the Presidents next
message to Congress. A telegram from
Washington says that the State Depart
ment officials are strongly in favor OF the
project, and Secretary Bayard and the
President are both known to feel that
the States should not be much longer
without speedy and direct communlca-
ton with the Hawaiian Islands. The
difficulty of getting a private corporation
to embark in the enterprise, which
would not perhaps at first be self-sus'
tanning, could, it is thought, be obviated
by the advantages and subsidy which
the Government might offer. The San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce also at
a recent meeting passed resolution,
without one dissentient voice, request
ing the u. S. Government to extend
such inducements to capitalists as will
secure the laying of a submarine cable
from the Pacific coast of the Union to
the Hawaiian Islands and Australia. 1t
is generally admitted that a cable
from San Francisco to Hawaii would
never pay, and it is considered
doubtful by some whether it would do
80 Immediately even if continued
to Australia. Some of the American
papers, too, are indisposed to support
the proposal for a subsidy to the cable.
The San Francisco Chronicle says it
would not be consistent for Con-
gress to subsidize such an en-
terprise, while refusing to ex-
tend aid to American shipbuilders and
steamship lines. 1t goes on to remark,
however: "But this Congress might do.
1t might furnish national AID TO con-
struct line clear to Australia, using
the Sandwich Islands as a stopping
place, for such line could certainly be
made to pay. The Importance of Aus
tralia in business sense is constantly
increasing, and although it is now con-
nected with Europe by telegraph, the
line suggested would have the advantage
of running through friendly country
after emerging from the Pacific Ocean,
and across civilized country, neither
of which advantages is possessed by the
present line. It is not impossible that
both Governments, England and Amer
lea, might unite in lending a helping
hand to such an enterprise as this, as it
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